Colonial Spiced Hot Chocolate
This was one of the first recipes that I shared on our blog many years ago, as I had an obsession even in 2016 about food origins and making things from scratch. I had a little blog series called Colonial Kitchen where I adapted 18th century recipes, and it was a lot of fun!
Hot chocolate is one of the absolute best winter drinks that you can make from scratch at home, and I wish that more people knew how to do this! While a packet of dry mixed cocoa is perfect in a pinch, if you have a little extra time on your hands one evening, I suggest you give this chocolate recipe a try. It’s rich, sweet, and a little bit spicy… just how the colonists would have enjoyed it!
the origins of hot chocolate:
During the Georgian period, Latin American chocolate was introduced to Europeans. It was a rich and decadent treat, usually only a luxury of the wealthy, served as paste made from the roasted beans and water. These chocolate nibs were exported to many cities and served in chocolate houses. I always picture the scene in Ever After when Prince Henry serves a piece of chocolate awkwardly into Marguerite’s open mouth.
These chocolate houses were a place, at least in the American colonies, where those in politics would gather and talk passionately about their causes. When my husband and I traveled to Colonial Williamsburg in 2019, I was so excited to taste the hot chocolate that they served! Their version was much spicier than mine, though it was absolutely delicious. We were able to sit in their chocolate house and imagine we had traveled back in time. Of course, because the chocolate was so rich in flavor it was served in little 2 or 4 oz cups.
I think one of my favorite aspects of historical hot chocolate is all of the special tableware that was created to make and serve chocolate. You can find a few rare sets of these here in the United States, though they are often rather expensive. Hot chocolate cups were made similarly to tea cups, but they had two handles instead of just one.
In the 18th century, chocolate was only served as a drink. It was grated into water or milk and flavored with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise, allspice, and ginger. Some people even used hot peppers, like the recipe I am sharing today! One addition that I thought was fascinating was the addition of rose-water or orange-water. I have been adding this for years, and it truly gives the drink an incredible essence! I highly recommend giving it a try.
Rich and creamy, this chocolate is strongly flavored by both bittersweet and dark chocolate. It can have the addition of rose-water, though you can choose to omit this if you want. To sweeten and thicken my drink, I used sweetened condensed milk. It’s just the perfect consistency and flavor! If you would like to take the spice level down a bit, simply omit the cayenne pepper. It is really not that spicy, though!
Have you ever made real hot chocolate? I hope that you enjoy this recipe!
xoxo Kayla
Colonial Spiced Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 1 quart milk, whichever kind you prefer
- 10 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 1/3 cup rose water (optional)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate
- 4 oz dark chocolate
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 whole nutmeg, grated or 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- pinch ground cayenne pepper
- 1 large cinnamon stick, about 6-inches
- 2 star anise
- whipped cream, for topping
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, stir together the milk, sweetened condensed milk, rose water (if using), vanilla, bittersweet chocolate, dark chocolate, cocoa powder, cardamom, nutmeg, and cayenne. Whisk thoroughly.
- Drop in the cinnamon stick and star anise. Place the pan over medium-low heat and warm the milk to a gentle simmer. Whisk constantly to prevent the chocolate from scorching and to dissolve the sweetened condensed milk. Turn off the heat and let it sit for about 8-10 minutes for the spices to infuse into the milk.
- Divide the hot chocolate between 4 8 oz mugs. Top with a dollop of whipped cream, a cinnamon stick, and a star anise for decoration. Grate more fresh nutmeg over the top.
- Serve hot!
Notes
This creates a really thick hot chocolate. To thin out the drink and make it less chocolatey, only use 2 ounces of each type of chocolate.
